Replaceable, reversible pattern guide jack for automatic knitting machines



May 31, 1966 J, PACE REPLACEABLE, REVERSIBLE PATTERN GUIDE JACK FOR AUTOMATIC KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 18, 1962 INVENTOR J OSEPH PAC E ATTORNEYS United States Patent O REPLACEABLE, REVERSIBLE PATTERN GUIDE JACK FOR AUTOMATIC KNITTING MACHINES Joseph Pace, Torrington, Conn., assignor to The Torrington Company, Torrington, Conn., a corporation of Maine Filed Apr. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 188,411

' 9 Claims. (Cl. 66-126) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in automatic knitting machines, and more specifically to a novel pattern guide unit which is both replaceable and reversible.

In automatic knitting machines, particularly warp knitting machines, pattern guide units are used in the knitting of patterned fabrics. These pattern guide units carry either a single or a plurality of guides and are mounted on pattern guide bars which are disposed in back of the regular guide bars. The pattern guide units are used in the knitting of the desired pattern in a fabric, and are shifted or set at intervals depending on the pattern desired. There may be a number of the pattern bars in a knitting machine, and the pattern guide units are mounted at spaced intervals on the pattern bars in accordance with the operation of the various pattern bars and the pattern of the fabric.

Unlike the regular thread guides of a knitting machine, the pattern guide units are not mounted in substantially continuous rows. As a result, each pattern guide unit includes a pattern jack which carries one or several guides. At the present time, the pattern guide units are not universal, with the result that it is necessary to retain on hand a number of pattern guide units. Further, the guide of each pattern guide unit is presently so secured to the jack of the pattern guide unit that it is not practical to replace a guide of the pattern guide unit when the guide breaks. As a result, when-ever breakage or damaging of the guide occurs, it is also necessary to throw away the jack of the particular guide unit. However, the jacks are specially machined and are relatively expensive. In view of this, it is highly desirable to so mount the guide within the jack so that the guide may be readily replaced, and this is the primary object of the invention.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel guide unit for automatic knitting machines, the guide unit being preferably of the pattern guide type and being formed of a jack and at least one guide carried by the jack, the jack having a seat receiving the upper portion of the guide, and suitable fastening means releasably retaining the guide in the jack seat.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pattern guide unit which includes a special jack and a guide carried thereby, the jack having a seat formed therein in the form'of an elongated groove, the seat receiving the shank of a pattern guide, and a fastener carried by the jack with the fastener being seated in a slot in the guide shank to prevent relative movement of the guide with respect to the jack.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel pattern guide unit wherein the jack has an upper mounting portion which is of a symmetrical cross-section where by the jack may be mounted on opposite sides of pattern guide bars so that a single pattern guide unit may be mounted to selectively face in opposite directions.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel pattern guide unit including'a jack and at least one 3,253,428 Patented May 31, 1966 guide carried thereby, the jack being reversible so that opposite faces thereof may be secured to pattern guide bars, and the guide being offset with respect to the center of the jack whereby the guide may be selectively offset to the right or to the left of a predetermined point which corresponds to the center of the guide jack when the guide unit is mounted-on the pattern guide bar.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel pattern guide unit for use in automatic knitting machines which includes a jack carrying a guide, and with the jack being reversible so as to face in opposite directions, and the guide being offset from the vertical center of the jack so as to permit the same guide unit to be utilized in either a left-hand or right-hand structure, and the jack being further provided with an elongated slot wherein the guide unit may be adjustably mounted on the guide bar which supports the same.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing:

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic end view of a pair of pattern guide bars and shows mounted thereon pattern guide units in accordance with the invention, the pattern guide bars and the pattern guide units being bracketed together.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary elevational view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and shows the general details of a pattern guide unit.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view similar to FIGURE 2 and shows the pattern guide unit reversed in its posi tion on the guide bar.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2, and shows further the details of construction of the pattern guide unit and the manner in which it is mounted on the pattern guide bar.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2, and

further shows the specific manner in which the guide is replaceably secured to the jack.

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of the guide unit with parts bracketed and shows the specific details thereof.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a modified form of pattern guide unit which includes two guides.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIGURE 7, and shows the manner in which the two guides are releasably secured to the jack.

FIGURE 9 is an exploded perspective view of still another form of pattern guide unit which utilizes three guides, the parts being bracketed and the guides being omitted for purposes of clarity.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is first made to the schematic showing of FIGURE 1, wherein there are illustrated two pattern guide, bars 10 and 11 having narrow lower portions 12 and 13, respec tively. 'It is to be note-d that the lower portion 12 is offset in an opposite direction from the lower portion 13 so that the pattern guide bars 10 and 11 may be considered to be left hand and right hand, respectively. At thistime, it is pointed out that the illustrated pattern guide bars It) and 11 are only schematic examples of pattern guide bars in an automatic knitting machine, and that a knitting machine would have a greater number of the pattern guide bars and they would not necessarily be disposed in closely spaced parallel relation, as is shown in shown in FIGURE 1.

Each of the pattern guide bars and 11 has at least one pattern guide unit secured to the lower end thereof. The pattern guide units carried by the guide bars 10 and 1 1 are identical, and are referred to by the numeral 14.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 2, 4 and 6 in particular, wherein it will be seen that the pattern guide unit 14 carried by the pattern guide bar 11 is formed of a jack, generally referred to by the numeral 15, and a replaceable guide, generally referred to by the numeral 16. The jack 15 is formed of an upper mounting portion, generally referred to by the numeral 1'7, and an integral depending leg-18. The mounting portion 17 is of an inverted T-shaped cross-section and includes a centrally located plate-like portion 19 and a lower bar portion 20. The leg 18 is integrally connected to the bar portion 20 and functions as a depending extension thereof.

As is best shown in FIGURE 2, the leg 18 is offset from the vertical center line passing through the mounting portion 17. The leg 18 is provided with a vertically extending seat 21 which extends the full height of the leg 18 and is in the form of an elongated groove machined or otherwise formed into the leg 18. When the seat 21 is machined in the leg 18, such as by milling the seat 21, the seat may extend up through the bar portion 20 and the plate-like portion 19, although this is not necessary.

The same face of the leg 18 in which the seat 21 is formed, is provided with a slot 22 which extends transversely of and opens into the seat 21. The slot 22 has formed at the base thereof a bore 23 for a purpose to be described in detail hereinafter.

At this time, it is pointed out that the plate-like portion 19 of the mounting portion 17 may be shaped either by machining or during the initial casting of the jack 15. The manner in which the jack 15 is formed, either by casting, machining, etc., is not a part of this invention.

The plate-like portion 19 is also provided with an elongated slot 24 which extends transversely of the axis of the seat 2 1 and permits lateral shifting of the jack 15 'with respect to the pattern guide bar 11, for example. A fastener 26 carried by the pattern guide bar 11 passes through the slot 24 and adjustably secures the jack 15 to the pattern guide bar 11.

The guide 16 may be of any construction, but must have a straight upper shank portion 27 with a transverse slot 28 therein corresponding generally to the slot 22. In the illustrated form of guide 16, the guide 16 has a downwardly tapering lower portion 29 which terminates in a rounded lower end 319 and which is provided in the lower end thereof with an eye 31 for receiving thread to be guided by the guide 16.

In assembling the guide 16 in the jack 15 the upper part of the shank portion 27 is seated in the seat 21 with the slot 28 aligned with the slot 22. The guide 16 is then rigidly secured to the jack 15 by means of a fastener, generally referred to by the numeral 32. The fastener 32 may be provided with a rectangular head 33 and a stem 34. The stem 34 is passed through the bore 23 and the head 33 is seated firmly in the aligned slots 22 'and 28 in the manner best shown in FIGURE 5. The stem 34 extends through the leg 18 and the end thereof remote from the head 33 is upset, as at 35, to securely, yet replaceably, secure the guide 16 to the jack 15.

With respect to the replaceability of the guide 16 it is pointed out that in the event the guide 16 should become broken or otherwise damaged, it is merely necessary to knock out the rivet 32 and to replace the rivet with another rivet after a new guide 16 has been assembled with the jack 15. This is highly desirable due to the expense of the specially formed jack 15.

Making reference to FIGURE 1, first, it will be seen that due to the fact that the plate-like portion 19 is centrally located with respect to the remainder of the jack 15, the same jack 15 may be associated with either a left hand guide bar, such as the guide bar 10, or a right hand guide bar, such as the guide bar 11. Accordingly, only one guide unit 14 is required for the two different types of guide bars 10 and 11.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3, it will be seen that when the pattern guide unit 14 is mounted as is shown in FIGURE 2, it may be considered a left hand guide unit due to the fact that the guide 16 is displaced to the left of the vertical center of the jack 15. On the other hand, the same pattern guide unit 14 may be rotated 180 degrees about its vertical center and again secured to the pattern guide bar 11 in the manner shown in FIG- URE 3. The pattern guide unit 14, as mounted in FIG- URE 3, is now a right hand unit in that the guide 16 thereof is displaced to the right of the vertical center of the jack 15.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the jack 15 of the guide unit 14 is constructed wherein it may be utilized with either leftor right-hand guide bars, and may assume either leftor right-hand positions on a single guide bar. Thus, the guide unit 14 is of universal application. In addition, because of the fact that the plate-like portion 19 of the jack 15 is provided with the elongated slot 24, the guide unit 14 may be shifted relative to the guide bar 11 so that the fastener 26 does not assume a centered position, but may be offset from the center of the jack 15 a distance at least equal to the amount the guide 16 is offset from the vertical center of the jack 15. In this manner, the guide unit 14 may be shifted with respect to the associated guide bar 11 a distance such that the guide 16 may assume any desired position between a centered position and a position disposed twice the distance of the spacing of the guide 16 from the vertical center of the jack 15. In this manner, the guide unit 14 may obtain substantially any position desired for the same.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 7 and 8 wherein there is illustrated a modified form of pattern guide unit, generally referred to by the numeral 40. The pattern guide unit 40 includes a jack, generally referred to by the numeral 41, and a pair of the guides 16. The jack 41 differs from the jack 15 primarily in the construction of the lower portion thereof. The jack 41 includes an upper plate-like portion 42 which corresponds to the plate-like portion 19 and which is provided with a slot 43 corresponding to the slot 24, whereby the jack 41 may be mounted in the same manner as is the jack 15 and shifted laterally of an associated guide bar.

The jack 41 differs from the jack 15 in that in lieu of the depending leg 18, the jack 41 has a thickened lower portion 45 of the same width as the upper portion thereof. The thickened lower portion 45 is provided with two spaced parallel vertically extending seats 46 each of which corresponds to the seat 21 and in which there is seated the shank portions 27 of the guides 16. The face of the thickened lower portion 45 in whichthe seats 46 are formed is also provided with a transversely extending slot 47. The slot 47 corresponds to the slot 22, but extends the full width of the lower portion 45. Bores 48 open from the bottom of the slot 47 through the -thickened portion 45. Fasteners 32 are seated in the 0 slot 47 and the corresponding slots 28 of the guides 16 and replaceably secure the guides 16 in the jack 41.

At this time, it is pointed out that the construction of the jack 41 is such that the guide units 40 may be mounted on left and right guide bars, such as the guide bars 10 and 11. It is also to be noted that the guide unit 40 may be shifted laterally of its respective guide bar 10 or 11 due to the provision of the elongated slot 43. While the guide unit 40 may be reversibly mounted on the same guide bar, this is not necessary when the guides 16 thereof are symmetrically arranged, as is shown in FIGURE 7. However, it is possible to mount the guides 16 in off-center relation with the result that it may be desirable to reverse the guide unit 40 on a particular guide bar, as is generally shown in FIGURE 3 with respect to the guide unit 14.

It is also pointed out that although the guide unit 40 of FIGURES 7 and 8 is illustrated as containing only two guides 16, the jack 41 or a similar jack may be formed with three or more seats for receiving three or more guides. A typical jack specifically adapted for carrying the three guides is shown in FIGURE 9, the jack being generally referred to by the numeral 50. The jack 50 has a thickened lower portion 51 which terminates in an integral upper plate-like portion 52 having an elongated transverse slot 53 formed therein, the slot 53 corresponding to the slots 24 and 43. The extreme lower part of the lower portion 51 is-provided with a rabbet 54 in one face thereof for receiving a clamping bar 55. The lower portion 51 is provided with a plurality of vertical slots 56 which extend upwardly from the bottom of the lower portion 51 topoints adjacent the intersection between the lower portion 51 and the upper portion 52. The slots 56 are intended to receive the upper portions of guides, such as the guides 16.

The lower part of the lower portion 51, that is the part having the rabbet 54, is provided with a plurality of holes 57 through which suitable fasteners 58 may pass. The bar 55 is provided with holes 59 which are aligned with the holes 57 and also through which the fasteners 58 may pass.

At this time it is pointed out that only one fastener 58 is illustrated, but that there will be a fastener for each of the holes 57. The fastener illustrated is a rivet although in accordance With the invention the fasteners could be in the form of nut and bolt assemblies, or the fastener could be integral parts of the bar 55. After the guides 16 have been positioned in the slots 56, the bar 55 is applied, with the bar 55 being seated in the slots 28 of the guides 16 to not only serve to clamp the guides 16 in the slots 56, but to also prevent axial movement of the guide 16 out of the slots 56.

It is to be noted that two of the slots 56 are centered with respect to the vertical center of the jack 50 and that the third slot 56 is disposed in off-center relation. The jack 50, as illustrated in FIGURE 9, is a left-hand jack. However, if the jack 50 is rotated 18!) degrees about a vertical axis from the position shown in FIGURE 9, the off-center slot 56 will be disposed to the right and the jack 50 now becomes a right-hand jack. The jack 50 may be equally as well mounted in the right-hand or left-hand relationship in view of the fact that the upper portion 52 is of a reduced thickness and is centered with respect to the lower portion 51.

At this time it is pointed out that although a bar has been illustrated as a securing means for the guide 16 carried by the jack 50, and head fasteners have been illustrated as the securing means for the guides carried by the jack 41, it is to be understood that the invention is not so restricted in that a bar-type fastener could be associated equally as well with the jack 41, particularly in view of the provision of the elongated slot 47, and head fasteners could be used with the jack 5G, in lieu of the bar 55. It is also to be understood that the guide arrangements of FIGURES 7 and 9 are only two of the possible multiple guide arrangements, and that other jacks utilizing the principles of this invention may be provided with slots for receiving any desired number of guides in any desired centered or off-center relationship.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision hasbeen made for carrying out the desired end. However, attention is directed to the fact that other variations may be made in the example forms of the invention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new:

1. A pattern thread guide unit for knitting machines comprising a guide jack and a guide carried by said jack, said jack having an elongated slot therein defining a seat and said guide having a shank portion seated in said seat, and a replaceable fastener releasably securing said guide to said jack for replacement, said jack having a slot therein extending transversely of said seat and opening thereinto, said guide shank portion having a slot therein aligned with said jack slot, and said fastener having an enlarged head seated in said jack slot and said guide slot whereby movement of said guide relative to said jack is prevented.

2. A pattern thread guide unit for knitting machines comprising a guide jack and a guide carried by said jack, said jack having a seat and said guide having a shank portion seated on said seat, and a replaceable fastener releasably securing said guide to said jack for replacement, said guide being ofiset to one side of the center of said jack whereby the guide unit may be rotated degrees about the center of said jack to offset said guide to the opposite side of the center of said jack to thus permit a single guide unit to be used as both a left-hand and a righthand unit..

3. A pattern thread guide unit for knitting machines comprising a guide jack and a guide carried by said jack, said jack having a seat and said guide having a shank portion seated on said seat, and a replaceable fastener releasably securing said guide to said jack for replacement, said jack including a plate-like upper mounting portion of a thickness less than the thickness of the remainder of the jack and being centered on a vertical axis through a transverse section of said jack whereby said guide unit may equally as well be mounted on oppositely facing supports.

4. A pattern thread guide unit for knitting machines comprising a guide jack and a guide carried by said jack, said jack having a seat and said guide having a shank portion seated on said seat, and a replaceable fastener releasably securing said guide to said jack for replacement, said jack including an upper mounting portion and a lower depending portion and said seat being formed in said lower depending portion, said upper mounting portion being of an inverted T-section including a centered plate like upper part whereby said guide unit may equally as well be mounted on oppositely facing supports.

5; A pattern thread guide unit for knitting machines comprising a guide jack and a guide carried by said jack, said jack having a plate-like upper mounting portion of a thickness less than the thickness of the remainder of the jack and being centered on a vertical axis through a transverse section of said jack whereby said guide unit may equally as well be mounted on oppositely facing supports.

6. The guide unit of claim 5 wherein said guide is offset to one side of the center of said jack whereby the guide unit may be rotated 180 degrees about the center of said jack to oifset said guide to the opposite side of the center of said jack to thus permit a single guide unit to be used as both a left-hand and a right-hand unit.

7. A pattern thread guide unit for knitting machines comprising a guide jack and a guide carried by said jack, said jack including an upper mounting portion and a lower depending portion lying generally in a common plane, said guide being carried by said lower depending portion and said guide being offset to one side of the center of said jack whereby the guide unit may be rotated 180 degrees about the center of said jack to offset said guide to the opposite side of the center of said jack to thus permit a single guide unit to be used as both a left-hand and a right-hand unit.

8. The guide unit of claim 5 wherein said guide is 01fset to one side of the center of said jack whereby the guide unit may be rotated 180 degrees about the center of said jack to offset said guide to the opposite side of the center of said jack to thus permit a single guide unit to be used as both a left-hnnd and a right-hand unit, and said upper mounting portion being of an inverted T- section including a centered plate like upper part where- 2,293,123 8/1942 Erdman et a1. 66-86 by said guide unit may equally as well be mounted on op- 2,428,448 10/ 1947 Broberg 66-86 positely facing; supports. 2,429,231 10/1947 La'mbach 66-86 9. A pattein thread guide unit for knitting machines 2,690,066 9/1954 Schoenster 66-86 comprising a guide jack and a guide carried by said jack, 5 2,759,344 8/ 1956 Clark et al. 6684 said jack including an upper mounting portion and a low- 2,962,883 12/ 1960 Dolinsky 6686 er depending portion, said guide being carried by said 3,044,283 7/1962 Liebchen 66-86 lower depending portion, and said upper mounting por- FOREIGN PATENTS tion being of an inverted T-section including a centered plate like upper part whereby said guide unit may equally 10 1,126,702 7/1956 France.

as well be mounted on opposite facing supports.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner. References Cited by the Examiner RUSSELL M ADER Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS r J. H. LACHE LD t 2,21 ,372 9/1940 Held 66 1 6 1,, EN, R FE BAUM, Asszs ant EXGIHIIILIS 

1. A PATTERN THREAD GUIDE UNIT FOR KNITTING MACHINES COMPRISING A GUIDE JACK AND A GUIDE CARRIED BY SAID JACK, SAID JACK HAVING AN ELONGATED SLOT THEREIN DEFINING A SEAT AND SAID GUIDE HAVING A SHANK PORTION SEATED IN SAID SEAT, AND A REPLACEABLE FASTENER RELEASABLY SECURING SAID GUIDE TO SAID JACK FOR REPLACEMENT, SAID JACK HAVING A SLOT THEREIN EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID SEAT AND OPENING THEREINTO, SAID GUIDE SHANK PORTION HAVING A SLOT THEREIN ALIGNED WITH SAID JACK SLOT, AND SAID FASTENER HAVING AN ENLARGED HEAD SEATED IN SAID JACK SLOT AND SAID GUIDE SLOT WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID GUIDE RELATIVE TO SAID JACK IS PREVENTED. 